Creamy Pasta, Salami & Avocado Salad

Creamy Pasta, Salami & Avocado Salad

Ingredients

3-4 cups cooked Farfalle (Bow tie pasta)

1 cup cubed salami

1 ripe avocado, diced

1 large tomato, diced

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 can red kidney beans, washed and drained

For the dressing:

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup chopped parsley

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp black pepper powder

¼ tsp paprika

1 cup mayo

¼ cup olive oil

salt to taste

Directions

Cook pasta till al dente and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil. In a bowl mix the ingredients for the dressing. When pasta is at room temperature, pour the dressing over it and mix gently. Serve chilled.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

“Couscous is a staple of the Mediterranean, it comes in instant and non-instant varieties. Like macaroni and spaghetti, couscous is made from semolina flour. Couscous doesn't have a lot of flavor on its own, but it works well as a base for vegetable or meat dishes. It also mixes beautifully into salads and can be flavored with herbs like coriander, basil or mint. It's a very nutritious and is used as a base for all sorts of dishes”.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 cucumber diced

1 red bell pepper diced

1 small red onion diced finely

½ cup sliced black olives

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of one lemon

1 handful of chopped parsley

½ tsp black pepper powder

1 garlic, minced finely

salt to taste

Directions

In a saucepan heat one cup of water, with a little salt. Turn off the heat and add couscous. Cover and leave couscous to double in size. When doubled, gently fluff the couscous using a fork. (Alternatively, you can check package instructions on how to cook couscous). In a bowl mix the ingredients for the dressing, check seasoning and let it stand for 5 minutes. When the couscous is at room temperature, add the chopped veggies and the salad dressing and mix gently. Add crumbled feta cheese and olives and check seasoning. Serve chilled.

Spring Pasta Salad

Spring Pasta Salad

Ingredients

3 cups cooked Rigatoni pasta, at room temp

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups baby spinach

2 spring onions chopped

¼ cup chopped parsley

some mint leaves, chopped

2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds

For the dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

juice of one lemon

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tsp black pepper powder

½ tsp garlic powder

salt to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, add all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk well. Check seasoning. Add the chopped parsley and mint to the dressing and leave it for some time for the juices to marry. Meanwhile, chop the veggies and add to the cooked pasta. Add the dressing and sunflower seeds to the pasta and mix well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Garden Pasta Salad

Garden Pasta Salad

"A healthy salad that's completely satisfying. Add some cooked chicken and this salad will be a meal itself on a hot summer's day, with noting more but a cool drink as an accompaniment".

Ingredients

3 cups Fusilli pasta, cooked and drained

6 leaves of Romaine lettuce, torn

1 carrot, shredded

1 red bell pepper, shredded

1 small onion sliced

4-6 tbsp Ranch dressing (depending on how much dressing you like)

1 tsp black pepper powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Toss all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve chilled or at room temperature. This recipe can be easily doubled. It stays well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves 4

Ingredients

500 gms Spaghetti

600 gms Beef mince

2 tins of chopped or plum tomatoes (I prefer Pomi Strained Crushed tomatoes)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 medium red onions chopped finely

2 tbsp crushed garlic, using a garlic crusher

1 tsp dried Oregano

2 beef Oxo Beef cubes

1 glass of red wine (optional)

½ tsp paprika

1-2 bay leaves

salt to taste

½ cup chopped parsley or basil for garnishing

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add bay leaves and stir. Add the minced beef and fry it until it has browned, breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the oxo cubes over the mince and stir so the colour and flavour spreads throughout the mince. Reduce the temperature and stir in the tomato paste. Add the tin of tomatoes (if you are using plum tomatoes then squish them when soft). Add the glass of red wine and season well with salt and pepper and add the Oregano. Cover with a lid and simmer the Bolognese sauce over a gentle heat for 1-1½ hours until the flavors develop into a wonderfully rich tomato sauce, stirring occasionally. At the end of the cooking time, add any extra seasoning if necessary. After tasting your sauce, you may wish to add a little sugar to reduce any acidity from the tomatoes. Turn off the heat. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water with some salt until al dente. Drain and toss the spaghetti with some olive oil and chopped parsley. To serve spread some spaghetti on to a plate with a tong, turning the spaghetti slightly. Pour some of the Bolognese sauce over it and garnish with chopped parsley or basil.

Penne Pasta with Bacon

Penne Pasta with Bacon

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped

4 cups Penne pasta, cooked till al dente

6 tbsp cooking cream
1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a pan fry the bacon until brown and crispy. Add the cooked pasta, olive oil and mix well. Add cooking cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Lasagne

Lasagne

Ingredients

10 sheets of no-boil lasagna noodles (I prefer Barilla Lasagne Noodles)

For the ragout sauce:

400 gms minced beef

40 gms chopped onions

100 gms grated carrot

40 gms chopped celery

1 can strained crushed tomatoes

400 ml water

4 tbsp olive oil

80 gms grated Parmesan cheese

1 bay leaf

1 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

For the béchamel sauce:

900 ml of milk

50 gms butter

50 gms flour

¼ tsp ground Nutmeg

salt to taste

Directions

In a pan heat some olive oil and add bay leaf. Add the onions and fry well. Add celery and carrot and fry for a few minutes. Add minced meat and fry till brown. Add the paprika. Add the tomato paste and water and season with salt and pepper. Add some water and cook for about 20 minutes till meat is cooked. Keep aside.

In a saucepan, melt butter and add flour, whisk and add milk. Keep whisking while bringing the sauce to a boil. Add nutmeg and salt.

Grease an oven proof dish and spread a ladleful of béchamel sauce and some of the ragout sauce. Layer some sheets of the lasagna. Then pour some béchamel sauce and some ragout sauce. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese. Continue with the layers until you have used up all the sheets and the last layer must be of béchamel and sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Chicken Liver Pasta

Chicken Liver Pasta

Ingredients

500 gms chicken livers, cleaned and halved

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 large white onion sliced

60 ml balsamic vinegar

4 large brown mushrooms sliced or 1 cup sliced button mushrooms

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

125 ml cream or Greek yogurt or very thick yogurt

fresh parsley, chopped – for garnishing

salt to taste

250 gms flat noodles or pasta, cooked

Directions

In a large pan, heat some butter or olive oil and sauté onions till translucent. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Add mushrooms and sauté them for a few minutes. Remove and set aside. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken livers in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Heat the remaining butter or olive oil and sauté the chicken livers till browned. Season with salt and pepper. Tip in the mushroom mixture into the pan and stir. Add the wholegrain mustard, cream or yogurt. Mix well. Serve with pasta and garnish with parsley.  

Curried Spinach and Mushrooms Lasagne

Curried Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne

Ingredients

8 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles (I prefer Barilla Lasagne Noodles)

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

2 flakes garlic, minced

2 tbsp mild curried powder

2 pounds baby spinach

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

¼ cup olive oil

salt to taste

For béchamel sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1-quart milk

250 gms grated mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 vegetable bouillon cube

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle position.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, 1 tablespoon curry powder and salt to taste and sauté, until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until all spinach is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes until all the liquid is dried up.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is golden brown for 1 minute. Add milk and continue whisking until milk begins to boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan, bouillon cube, 1 tablespoon curry powder and black pepper. Check seasoning and add salt if needed. Cover surface with plastic wrap.

Spread 1 cup béchamel along the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Place one-third of noodles over béchamel in a single layer. Top with 1 cup béchamel and half of the spinach and mushrooms. Spread a handful of mozzarella. Repeat with a second layer of noodles, béchamel, and spinach. Top with remaining noodles and remaining spinach. Lastly, spread the remaining mozzarella on top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking about 15 minutes until cheese is golden in places and lasagna is bubbling along the edges,

Remove lasagna from oven and let stand 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Skillet Chicken Farfalle

Skillet Chicken Farfalle

Ingredients

1 box of farfalle/bow tie pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

Salt to taste

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 jar marinara sauce (14 to 16 ounces)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ tsp oregano

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, plus more if needed

½ cup cooking cream

½ cup dried brown mushrooms, re-hydrated in some warm water (optional)

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions; drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with cayenne, garlic powder and some salt. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and cut into thin slices. Set aside.

Add more oil to the same skillet and sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, then scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen the bits. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to let the broth reduce. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and oregano, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and add the drained pasta and cream. Mix well. Add mozzarella and the cooked chicken. Toss to combine, until the sauce is just how you like it. Then add rest of the mozzarella on top.

Baked Pasta Oregano

Baked Pasta Oregano

Ingredients

500 gms Penne or Elbow Pasta

1 packet chicken sausages cut diagonally

2 flakes garlic crushed, using a garlic crusher

1 can chopped/strained tomatoes

2 tsp Oregano

1 tsp black pepper powder

½ tsp paprika

4 tbsp Olive Oil

250 gms cheddar cheese grated

Salt to taste

Directions

Cook pasta in salted boiling water till al dente. Drain and keep aside. In a large pan heat oil and sauté the crushed garlic. Add chicken sausages and fry for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook for a few minutes. Season the sauce and add paprika, black pepper powder and oregano. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Add a handful of grated cheese to the pasta and mix. Transfer the pasta with sauce to an oven proof dish. Spread the remaining grated cheese on top of the pasta. Bake in oven at 180 deg C for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve hot.